Godfather of stock cars heads south

Some of the cars built by Peter Rees which will be on show this weekend at The Rock Riverside Speedway. Photo: Supplied

ANYONE who knows speedway knows the name Rees.

After a motocross injury several years ago, Peter Rees, of North Foxton, had a crack at speedway. He never grew up around a speedway track, instead he turned up for his first speedway experience as a driver, with a car ready to do battle.

Rees purchased his first car for a mere $200. He bought a welder for $50, taught himself to weld and then went racing. He admits his first car was a piece of junk, but that was the humble beginnings of the Peter Rees’ story.

What Rees has achieved since is remarkable. He has won multiple New Zealand stock car and superstock titles, as well as teams championships. Rees has also built well over 200 cars and now has both his sons, Asher and Ethan, racing at the highest level of speedway in their respective grades. Ethan was crowned New Zealand stock car champion in February.

Peter Rees has assembled more than 50 of the best stock car and superstock cars and drivers and will lead them south on his farewell tour, kicking off at The Rock Riverside Speedway tomorrow night, with the event supported by Kaye’s Bakery.

His contingent will take on the local Riverside drivers in what will be an evening of crash-and-bash racing that will blow the minds of any speedway purest. The meeting will also double as the Southland stock car championships.

Newly crowned stock car champ Ethan Rees and New Zealand superstock champion William Humphries will both be in action in what will be the first time Southland has ever seen the two national champions racing locally.